Inverness Caledonian Thistle remain at the summit of the Scottish Premiership as lacklustre Motherwell proved no match for their early season drive.

Richie Foran's diving header put Caley Thistle ahead in four minutes.

And Billy McKay drilled a shot into the corner of the Motherwell net to give the home team a deserved two-goal lead.

The Steelmen improved after the break, aided by Henri Anier's introduction to the game, but their hesitant efforts to recover petered out.

The defeat leaves Motherwell mid-table and for long spells of the match they looked a shadow of the side that earned praise last season.

Terry Butcher's men dominated the first half and could have been three or four goals to the good before Stuart McCall was able to get his message across to his players at the interval.

With the match in its infancy, Caley Thistle's captain Foran was unmarked at the back post when Graeme Shinnie floated in a free-kick and the Irishman was clinical with his finish.

Central defenders Shaun Hutchinson and Stephen McManus made goal-saving challenges to deny James Vincent and McKay respectively but they could not repel their eager hosts for too much longer.

Ten minutes before half-time Aaron Doran slipped the ball inside the full-back for David Raven to run on to on the overlap. He cut the ball back and McKay arrowed his shot clear of goalkeeper Lee Hollis for his third goal of the season.

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Vincent went close to making it 3-0 when he took McKay's flick on the volley from the edge of the box.

After the break James McFadden sparked some life into Motherwell as his run and cross to the back post was met by Anier but Raven provided the crucial block.

Home goalkeeper Dean Brill was rarely tested but he lost track of an Iain Vigurs corner and should have been punished by conceding a goal, but Hutchinson's header sailed on to the roof of the net.

Doran and Foran had chances to inflict further damage on Motherwell in the final minutes but could not find the target.

Nonetheless, the victory means the Highlanders have maximum points following wins over St Mirren and Dundee United.

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